, Question 1
Which of the following are advantages of
studying statistical methods in psychology?
1. It leads to a better understanding of the
content of psychological theories.
2. It helps us to formulate research questions.
3. It helps us to evaluate whether the patterns
we observe in data are due to more than the
consequence of chance.
4. It gives insight into the nature of the
scientific process.
➔ Answer: Option 3 is correct.
Statistical methods are required specifically to
compare the relationships that we observe in
data with what could be expected purely by
chance, in order to decide whether the patterns
we detect are probably not purely the result of
random variations in the data (e.g., due to
errors in our measurements). The other three
options are more general aspects of research
Open Rubric
,and go beyond the statistical analysis of the
results.
Question 2
Which of the options below is a valid
description of a 'construct' in psychological
research? It is a(n) - - - - -.
1. measurement based on the careful
observation of aspects of humans or human
behaviour
2. observation of an aspect of humans or
human behaviour which was
operationalized in some way
3. hypothetical aspect of humans or human
behaviour which we wish to investigate
4. explanation of empirical observations
based on the measurement of certain
variables
➔ Answer: The correct answer is given in
Option 3.
Constructs are abstract aspects of humans such
as 'intelligence' or 'depression' which can be
best described as 'hypothetical' since we
suppose they exist but they cannot be observed
directly (see p. 3 of the Study Guide for
PYC3704). We use 'operationalization' to
, make them visible (by developing some way
of observing them) but this happens because
we hypothesise that they exist in the first place
(so Option 2 is wrong). This could entail
measurement (Option 1) and may lead to an
explanation for human behaviour (Option 4),
but the construct is presupposed before any of
this can happen.
Question 3
A psychologist believes that personality
factors such as ability to get along with other
people in a team are likely to have an influence
their success in a team sport. To investigate
this, she draws a sample of participants in
competitive sport, comprising soccer players,
hockey players and cricketers from various
sports clubs. After evaluating their
performance on an appropriate psychometric
test, she divides players from the three types of
sports into two groups: those who have good
social skills and those who tend avoid social
contact. She then uses evaluation forms, based
on interviews with different sports experts, to
assess the actual sports performance of the
members of the sample. The dependent
variable in the study is - - - - - and the
independent variable is - - - - -.
Which of the following are advantages of
studying statistical methods in psychology?
1. It leads to a better understanding of the
content of psychological theories.
2. It helps us to formulate research questions.
3. It helps us to evaluate whether the patterns
we observe in data are due to more than the
consequence of chance.
4. It gives insight into the nature of the
scientific process.
➔ Answer: Option 3 is correct.
Statistical methods are required specifically to
compare the relationships that we observe in
data with what could be expected purely by
chance, in order to decide whether the patterns
we detect are probably not purely the result of
random variations in the data (e.g., due to
errors in our measurements). The other three
options are more general aspects of research
Open Rubric
,and go beyond the statistical analysis of the
results.
Question 2
Which of the options below is a valid
description of a 'construct' in psychological
research? It is a(n) - - - - -.
1. measurement based on the careful
observation of aspects of humans or human
behaviour
2. observation of an aspect of humans or
human behaviour which was
operationalized in some way
3. hypothetical aspect of humans or human
behaviour which we wish to investigate
4. explanation of empirical observations
based on the measurement of certain
variables
➔ Answer: The correct answer is given in
Option 3.
Constructs are abstract aspects of humans such
as 'intelligence' or 'depression' which can be
best described as 'hypothetical' since we
suppose they exist but they cannot be observed
directly (see p. 3 of the Study Guide for
PYC3704). We use 'operationalization' to
, make them visible (by developing some way
of observing them) but this happens because
we hypothesise that they exist in the first place
(so Option 2 is wrong). This could entail
measurement (Option 1) and may lead to an
explanation for human behaviour (Option 4),
but the construct is presupposed before any of
this can happen.
Question 3
A psychologist believes that personality
factors such as ability to get along with other
people in a team are likely to have an influence
their success in a team sport. To investigate
this, she draws a sample of participants in
competitive sport, comprising soccer players,
hockey players and cricketers from various
sports clubs. After evaluating their
performance on an appropriate psychometric
test, she divides players from the three types of
sports into two groups: those who have good
social skills and those who tend avoid social
contact. She then uses evaluation forms, based
on interviews with different sports experts, to
assess the actual sports performance of the
members of the sample. The dependent
variable in the study is - - - - - and the
independent variable is - - - - -.
